Nov 18, 2013

This week has been fun and very long.

Monday was P-day.  It was cold and sunny. Played basketball and volleyball.

Tuesday was a lot more cold then Monday. It was in the low 30 all day. We still had zoo service.  Rick had us raking leafs around the fence and also around the buildings.  After zoo service we went to the library to email. Then we spent the rest of the day packing and also doing all the last things for Elder Corvalan

Wednesday started at 5 AM. Elder Corvalan got up and still had to pack. Then at 7 AM we left for the Spanish Elder house. We then picked up the Spanish Elders and their stuff. Because we share the car with them we had to take them and their stuff to the bus station. Elder Budge and I went back to the Spanish Elder’s home and got more of the stuff. We were all told that the bus would be at the station at 9 Am but it did not get there until 11:30. It was very late. At 1:30 Elder Arend arrived in Topeka. Elder Arend and I then went to our place and got to know each other and the ward.  The sister missionaries in our ward did not get to Topeka until 10:00 PM. A long day.

Thursday we had Weekly planning. After weekly planning we meet up with the Sisters at the church building. We now have Sister Call and Sister Smart in our ward. We talked about the ward, gave the sister some supplies and also told them about the dinners they have in the next week. It ended up that the sisters have a car but no phone. They did not know when they were going to get it from the mission office. Then we went shopping. Then we went out and meet several member of our ward. This was a good Day. After Dinner we had a question for the sisters but they do not have a phone. It ended up that we were able to call them through the member they live with.

Friday was zone training. This started at 9:00 AM and did not ended until 1:00 PM. This was very long because there are lots of new missionary in our Zone. Then we all went out together for lunch.  There were 32 of us at Chick-Fil-A.  This was nice to get to know more of the missionary in the Topeka Zone. Then after that we had a wonderful time talking with member of our ward.  Then our dinner appointment canceled on us but told us they bring food over for us. This was Travis.   We were looking to have a lesson with them but we could not because he was going out of town. 

Saturday and Sunday was stake conference. Saturday we had a 4 PM and 7 PM meeting. The 4 PM I did not have to go because I am not a district leader. I went on splits with the other district leader’s companions. I was with 2 brand new missionaries for 3 hours. This was fun to work with 2 new missionaries. Then at the 7 PM meeting President Bell and his wife came. They both talked about them being called to be the Mission President and how it changed their life. Then all of the missionaries in the Topeka zone sang our mission song. This was very powerful because of the amount of missionaries that are in the Topeka area. This meeting did not get out until about 9:30 then we took pictures with all the Elders and Sisters. We got home late this night.

Sunday it started at 8:00 AM with The new member meeting, then the regular meeting at 9:00 AM.  This stake conference was all about missionary work and how the members can help the full time Elders and Sisters. President Bell and Sister Bell spoke also the Temple President of the Kansas City Temple came. Then we had dinner and then tried lost of less active members in our ward.

This week has been very good and lots of training and thing to apply to our ward. 

Elder Arend is from New-town, Connecticut.  He has been out on his mission for about 7 months and is also 18. He is glade to be in Topeka.

Sister Smart is from Mesa Arizona. Her brother was in the same Class at Mountain View. Her Parents just moved to Gilbert, around the new Gilbert Temple.

Sister Call is from Utah. She is related to Dennis and Diane Call in Mesa Arizona.

Thanks for every thing.

Love Elder Andrew Allen